Oliver Twist, written by Charles Dickens, is one of the most revered and influential novels to ever be published. Set in Victorian England, it follows the story of a young orphan boy named Oliver Twist, who escapes the cruel conditions of the workhouse he is forced to work in and travels to London, where he ends up in a criminal gang of juveniles run by an adult named Fagin.
The story paints a vivid and unflinching look at the underbelly of London during the time and deals with a number of serious issues, including child labor, domestic violence, and the divide between social classes. Naturally, such a compelling story lends itself perfectly to the medium of film and has been adapted numerous times over the ages. Below are five of the best and most beloved movie adaptations of Oliver Twist, ranked.
5 Twist (2021)
Twist is not a great movie by any stretch of the imagination, but at least it does try to do something a little different with the classic literature and deserves a little credit for that at least. This 2021 Sky Original movie adaptation of Oliver Twist is set in the present day and imagines Twist as a gifted graffiti artist, played by Riff Law, getting lured into the dangerous world of criminal gangs. Gang leader Fagin, here, is played by the inimitable Michael Caine, who provides some of the movie’s best dialog and is still a pleasure to watch even if the rest of the movie does lack somewhat in terms of character development. It’s commendable that Sky tried to do something a little different instead of re-treading familiar territory, but unfortunately it didn’t work in the way that Disney managed to pull off their own interpretation of the novel with Oliver & Company.
4 Oliver Twist (2005)
A more faithful adaptation to the more recent 2021 version, 2005’s Oliver Twist was a hit with critics, but unfortunately couldn’t find its footing at the box office and was eventually deemed a commercial failure. Helmed by legendary (and controversial) director Roman Polanski, the movie is beautifully shot, and it was a stroke of genius casting Sir Ben Kingsley as Fagin, a role he became fully immersed in. If there are any criticisms that could be aimed at the movie, it’s that it perhaps plays it a little too safe — there’s very little here audiences wouldn’t have seen before in previous Oliver Twist adaptations. A few critics felt that, because of this, the movie lacked personality and originality, making it a little dull at points. There are a few notable differences, though, in this version, most noticeably the absence of Mrs. Maylie, which allows the story to focus even more on The Artful Dodger and the gang of youths.
3 Oliver & Company (1988)
Disney’s animated Oliver Twist-inspired classic Oliver & Company is probably the most original and interesting interpretation of the Dickens classic. Oliver, in this case, is a homeless kitten who joins a gang of dogs, run by a human Fagin, to survive in the streets. While Fagin is portrayed as a somewhat sympathetic character in the original novel, he is a far more likable character here. The movie became a minor hit, and some argue it is partially responsible for ushering in the ‘Disney Renaissance’ of the 90s. The movie was particularly praised for its animation style and its musical numbers, with the song "Why Should I Worry?" receiving critical acclaim and being nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. Among the cast of fantastic actors that lent their voices to the movie are Joey Lawrence, Billy Joel, Cheech Marin, Bette Midler, and Dom DeLuise. Despite it not being the most well-known Disney animated movie, Oliver & Company has since garnered a strong cult following and has become a fan favorite among many Disney fans.
2 Oliver Twist (1948)
Released in 1948, the David Lean adaptation Oliver Twist manages to truly bring to life the squalid, dingy, and dark conditions the homeless children of Victorian London would have been living in. Lean had already had some experience in adapting Dickens’ work, having already directed his take on Great Expectations a couple of years prior. The experience paid off, resulting in a truly engrossing and compelling viewing experience that captures everything that made the novel so special in the first place. Alec Guinness and Robert Newton were highly praised for their portrayals of Fagin and Bill Sykes, respectively, and the movie set the benchmark for all Dickens’ adaptations to come, per BBC, with the British Film Institute later placing it at 46th in its list of the top 100 British films.
1 Oliver! (1968)
Arguably one of the greatest musicals of all time, the 1968 adaptation of Oliver Twist, directed by Carol Reed, manages to feel both faithful to the source material yet entirely fresh and original. This in large is down to the fact that Reed decided to base it on Lionel Bart's 1960 stage musical of the same name. Featuring a plethora of unforgettable songs, including "Food, Glorious Food," "Consider Yourself," and "You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two," the movie was released to critical acclaim and was praised, not just for its songs, but for its cinematography and acting.
Ron Moody as Fagin and Oliver Reed as Bill Sykes received particular praise for their respective roles, while Mark Lester as Oliver Twist and Jack Wild as The Artful Dodger were also singled out as being young actors with huge potential based on their performances. It dominated the 41st Academy Awards, at which it was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won six, including Best Picture, Best Director for Reed, and an Honorary Award for choreographer Onna White. To this day, Oliver! still appears prominently in polls of the best British movies of all time, a true testament to the lasting affect the film has had.